SSM Weekly Update - September 26th

SSM Missions Meeting
   All parents and students are invited to a brief time together this Sunday at 6:30pm in the Core as important details are shared regarding 2013 student ministry mission trips.  Upperclassmen will have an opportunity to participate in a trip to Belize during the later part of July and others will have an opportunity to minister in the town of Van Horn in far West Texas.  Wes will share trip costs, requirements, deadlines, and important details about each destination and also provide time for questions as we look forward to serving next year.

Please make plans to attend this Sunday!

RAD Groups
  Students began meeting in the small groups this past Sunday evening and many are anxious, maybe even a little nervous, about what God is going to do in their lives over the next several weeks.  Each group is diving into the Not a Fan Bible study by Kyle Idleman.  You can learn more about the Bible study here.
  If you have not had a chance to read last week's update regarding RAD Groups then please go back and notice the specific expectations for those who participate.  There is a small concern that a handful of students showed up Sunday without any real desire to participate in a small group.  We are asking that parents help us out in communicating the expectations with their students.  Please know that there is no sort of judgement against those who do want to be in a RAD Group but being a distraction or hindrance within a group is not okay.  The small group leaders will greatly appreciate any conversation you might be able to have with your child about his or her group before they attend this Sunday.  If he or she is not interested, then we ask they he or she attend the evening worship service in the Chapel. To help understand how your child feels about the small groups try using a question like, "Hey son, how are you feeling about your time in RAD Group this week?"  Follow that up with something similar such as, "How valuable are you to your group" or "Is the time valuable to you and do you look forward to it."  If you gather the sense that your student is apathetic about the time on Sundays then it might be best he or she not participate for now.  There will be opportunities to jump back in down the road in several weeks.  Wes would love to visit with you about specific situations and how to best handle a unique opportunity.

Understand that the intent is not to seclude or to cast out anyone but instead to be very focused in discipleship and Bible study.  One individual not committed the purpose can create great difficulty for an entire group.  Please contact Wes if you any concern or have questions about RAD Groups. 

Pray for Students
  Finally, but most importantly, pray for the students this week.  Death is never easy and so many are wrestling with the reality of losing a great friend this week.  Pray that the Spirit of God would rain down on Horn High School as students and teachers mourn Sigfrid's death.  Pray also for the guys who were also involved in the accident and are recovering both physically and emotionally.  So many students have done a great job of ministering to their classmates who are hurting.  It is always incredible to observe students loving each other and encouraging one another in a time like this.  Pray that as Sigfrid's life is remembered and honored,  masses would be rescued by Jesus Christ and comforted by the love of a great God. 

September 17 Weekly Update

RAD Groups

We officially kicked off a new semester of RAD Groups last night with a large group gathering to discuss and share this year's vision.  Students will begin meeting in their specific small groups this Sunday evening at 5pm on the SFBC campus. 

It is important that students and parents have a clear understanding of the purpose of RAD Groups.  Last night I was able to discuss with students that there will be nothing casual about being apart of a group.  The expectations are high and RAD Groups simply may not be the right fit for everyone.  As you read last week, the groups will begin the Not a Fan Bible study and be asked to take a daily journey in becoming a completely, committed follower of Jesus.  A crucial element of the Bible study involves a daily journal for each student to complete over 42 days.  Commitment to the journal will help in making the small group time more beneficial. 

Students took time to pray last night and determine whether or not they are willing to begin the RAD Group journey.  I have asked that no student attend RAD Groups just to be a casual attender.  Each student was asked to sign a covenant that read the following:
 The Profile of a RAD Group student is...

• Humility
• Growing spiritually
• Genuine and transparent
• Support leadership and their decisions
• Genuinely friendly
• Has a good reputation with peers

It is my understanding that those who commit to a RAD Group are seen as students who desire to be challenged in their faith through intense prayer, service, fasting, and Bible study.  Since I have decided to participate, I will hold myself accountable to the following commitments:

• I will keep my walk with God fresh by having a consistent daily quiet time, participating in RAD Group weekly gathering and by attending Sunday school, Sunday worship, and Wednesday night worship. 
• I will strive to live my life in a way that honors God which includes refraining from tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, and pornography.
• I will commit to never become a distraction from what God wants to do in my life and in the life of others during RAD Group gatherings.
• I will strive to be at each RAD Group gathering by 5pm. 
• I will commit to keeping a journal throughout the semester that includes teaching points, prayer requests, and testimonies of personal growth.
• I will remember that throughout the year the Student Ministry will use this covenant as an evaluation standard, because I know the lives and souls of students are at stake and I have chosen to take on an extreme challenge in which God wants to do the extraordinary.

As you can see, we are asking students to step up to a significant challenge!  I believe the reward will be more than worth it as we begin to see and hear all that God does.

Please trust that any student choosing not to participate will NEVER be seen as inferior or an outsider in the student ministry.  Teenagers are busier than ever and it would be foolish for me to believe that every student could or would be involved in RAD Groups.  For now, there is not an alternative at 5pm on Sundays for youth unless they attend the evening worship service in the Chapel.  I am asking that parents help us in making sure their students are not roaming halls on campus during RAD Groups and worship. 

Please email me at wesjackson@sunnyvalefbc.com if you have any questions or concerns regarding RAD Groups. 

Summer Mission Trip 2013
Look for details later this week regarding next  summer's mission trip destination.  I am work ing to nail down an accurate cost and itinerary for the international trip that will take place in late July of 2013.  I will also share several different ways that students will be able to help raise the money needed for the trip.  Look for more information in the coming days!!

RAD Groups kick off this Sunday

RAD Groups kick off this Sunday
Students will begin a new journey this Sunday, September 16th at 5:00pm as RAD Groups kick off. This weekly opportunity will provide students with an opportunity to focus on authentic discipleship in grade and gender specific small groups. With each group being lead by a trusted adult who loves Jesus and is equipped to mentor students, your child will engage in Bible study, accountability, and fellowship.

To kick off the new semester, each RAD group will begin the Not a Fan Bible study by Kyle Idleman. A key component of this particular study involves a student journal. Each day for six weeks, students will take time to reflect on their lives, Jesus, and His plan for their lives. Each student will be encouraged to take on the challenge and participate in the small group sessions each week. In other words, the expectations are high for those who wish to participate but the reward will be even greater! This is not something for those who who are not committed and simply wish to hang out with friends. There will be much laughter for sure, but also times of intense discussion and wrestling through life together as a group. There is nothing casual about RAD Groups or a life committed to Jesus Christ and the prize supersedes anything we could come up with in our own pursuits.

The journal cost for the Not a Fan study is $10 and students will be asked to pay for their journals by October 7th.

Please feel free to give Wes a call or send an email if you have any questions about RAD groups.

Preparing for the Fall and 2013!

August is always a time when everyone is getting things ready for the upcoming school year and beginning to fall back into a steadier routine. The same is true for the Sunnyvale Student Ministry. As you move forward with us, please know and trust that everything we do is intentional in pointing students toward Jesus Christ and making disciples of every student in the SSM. Ultimately, as students graduate from high school and move on from here, we hope and pray that their faith would be strengthened for the rest of their life by what they experienced over the years in the SSM. If your student was here Sunday night, then he or she heard about several activities and events coming in the next several months. Allow me to give you a glimpse of what to expect and then be on the watch for more specific details over the next couple of weeks. This past summer was incredible and God moved in a powerful way!! Many unchurched students gave their lives to Jesus and others fell more in love with His plan for their lives. It is important that the SSM continue to provide adequate time for students to be discipled and mentored throughout the year. As we move into the fall months, we will once again give students the opportunity to be involved in RAD Groups. RAD groups will provide a time each week for students who are placed in grade and gender specific groups to focus on authentic discipleship. Together, each group will read through Scripture, serve locally, and engage in loving accountability. Students will be lead by an adult who loves Jesus and is equipped to mentor teenagers. The kick off date is tentatively set for September 16th. The COLLIDE Ministry has become a significant part of what goes on in the Sunnyvale Student Ministry. Adam West’s leadership was used in a great way while he was on staff at SFBC. As we move forward, COLLIDE will continue to be an area in the ministry where students are given opportunities to use their gifts and abilities to share the Gospel. We are currently organizing dates when students will be able to express themselves through singing, dance, and other expressions. As those dates are finalized, students will be notified and begin practicing at 4pm on Sunday afternoons as needed. Russell Shaw will be a huge help in this area. Now, here is the answer to one of the biggest questions over the last several weeks: YES, we are still planning to organize a COLLIDE show in the spring. The COLLIDE show has become a great event for our entire church. It provides an incredible opportunity for young and old to come together for a great cause. The tentative dates are March 2-3 and the show will continue to support missions as we move forward . We will spend five or six weeks prior to March using a great deal of energy and effort toward continuing the excellence that has been experienced during the last few years. The show will be a significant fundraiser for the SSM summer mission trip. Speaking of mission trip, details are quickly coming together for 2013 mission opportunities. The vision for missions in the SSM will look slightly different than years past but ultimately fulfill the same purpose of giving students an opportunity participate in the Great Commission by using their energy and gifts locally, nationally, and internationally. Moving forward, each student will have the opportunity to participate in an international mission trip before he or she graduates from high school. In order to make this happen, we will take students on an international trip in odd years (2013, 2015, and so on) and focus on destinations in the U.S. during even years. Obviously, the cost is higher for overseas travel so fundraising and prep will begin much earlier. Parents and students can expect full details in the next couple of weeks. Juniors and seniors will get the first opportunities to fill spots for the international trips and remaining spots will be open to sophomores. During the even years, age will not be restrictive of who participates in the national trips. Each year, students will also have an opportunity to go on the Mission Van Horn trip during Spring Break. Over the next few weeks, greater detail will be shared about specific trips and the next year including costs. Hopefully, by mid September, parents will know the total cost for all large events going on in the SSM over the next 12 months. As you think through the details you just read, please do not hesitate to contact Wes with any questions or concerns.

A Special Opportunity to Give

The most exciting weekend of the year for the Sunnyvale Student Ministry will be upon us next weekend, January 20-23. Please take a moment to view a video message from our minister to students, Wes Jackson. If you would like additional information about the weekend simply go to www.sunnyvalefbc.com.

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